Shivanand Pandit
The concept of ‘foods,’ which encompasses diversity, nutrition, affordability, accessibility, and safety, is recognized as the world’s third most fundamental human right, following air and water. While everyone deserves access to adequate food, hunger continues to plague many, with the current global food crisis being the most severe in modern history. Despite farmers producing enough food to sustain the entire population, factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical conflicts, economic downturns, and climate change have driven up food and fuel prices and exacerbated inequality. Consequently, the number of people facing food crises has surged by 122 million between 2019 and 2023. Currently, around 350 million individuals are experiencing extreme hunger, with nearly 49 million on the brink of famine. Additionally, over 820 million people suffer from chronic undernourishment, with women comprising about 60% of this group, and malnutrition-related causes leading to the deaths of five million children under five each year. To combat global hunger and reaffirm its commitment, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) observes World Food Day every October 16, marking both the day and the organization’s founding in 1945.
On October 16, 2024, we celebrated World Food Day 2024, with this year’s theme, ‘Right to Food for a Better Life and a Better Future,’ underscoring the vital importance of food security and nutrition for all. For India, this day holds special significance as the country continues to face persistent challenges related to hunger and malnutrition. It serves as a moment to assess India’s current food security landscape and to consider ways to ensure that the right to food is recognized as a fundamental right for every citizen.
The 2024 Global Hunger Index (GHI) indicates a ‘serious’ level of hunger in India, ranking the country 105th out of 127 nations with a score of 27.3. This score falls into the alarming category, with lower scores indicating better hunger levels. Jointly published by Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe, the GHI series monitors global hunger and highlights areas requiring urgent action. While there has been some progressIndia improved slightly from last year’s ranking of 111 – the issues of child wasting and stunting remain significant challenges. India’s GHI score of 27.3 is concerning, particularly when compared to its South Asian neighbours like Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, which are classified as having ‘moderate’ levels of hunger.
Historically, India has made gradual improvements since being categorized as ‘alarming’ in 2000 with a score of 38.4. India’s GHI ranking is surprising, especially considering the extensive government initiatives designed to combat hunger. In India, above 800 million people benefit from the Public Distribution System (PDS), 120 million children are served by the PM Poshan program, and 75 million children under six receive free meals or take-home rations.However, the 2024 GHI report reveals troubling statistics: 13.7% of the population suffers from undernourishment, 35.5% of children under five are stunted, 18.7% experience wasting, and 2.9% of children do not survive until their fifth birthday. These figures underscore deep-rooted issues related to undernutrition, poor living conditions, and inadequate access to essential nutrients.
Absolute failure
The 2024 GHI reveals that India’s undernourished population would rank as the seventh most populous country globally, comparable to Brazil with approximately 200 million people – about 14% of India’s total population. This 19th edition of the GHI uses comprehensive data, including statistics from the Sample Registration System, which the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation publishes annually. This data encompasses vital indicators like births, deaths, and maternal and infant mortality, sourced from the Ministry of Women and Child Development and NITI Aayog.
India is classified as having a ‘serious’ hunger problem, which could arguably be termed “extremely alarming” when considering various additional factors. This highlights a profound failure of the Indian government to meet basic human needs, particularly adequate food and nutrition essential for leveraging the touted ‘demographic dividend.’ Despite being the world’s fastest-growing economy at 6.8% in FY24 and reaching an estimated GDP of nearly $4 trillion, India’s per capita income of $2,485 remains less than a fourth of the global average of $13,920 in FY22. This disparity points to significant income inequality, resulting in varied disposable incomes, particularly impacting the poor amid rising food inflation, which increased from 3.8% in FY22 to 7.5% in FY24.
The Economic Survey for 2023-24 attributes this inflation to extreme weather events, low reservoir levels, and crop damage, although India achieved one of its highest food production levels – 332 million tonnes in 2023-24primarily due to bumper rice and wheat crops, despite challenges faced by pulses and vegetables. Nevertheless, these figures must be contextualized with India’s infant mortality rate of 26 per 1,000 live births in 2022, slightly better than the global average of 28, alongside concerning rates of child stunting and wasting. This data underscores failures in India’s healthcare and social safety nets, revealing a critical need to confront the pressing issue of climate change, which increasingly threatens the country’s food security.
Food policies require reassessment
The PDS and the NFSA (National Food Security Act) have significantly expanded the safety net for food security in India over the past decade. The provision of free grains through the PDS has been crucial in ensuring basic cereal consumption, particularly during challenging economic periods. However, the overall food security landscape remains fragile, characterized by high unemployment rates, stagnant rural wages, low farm incomes, and rising retail food prices. Despite some advancements, an estimated 100 million people are still excluded from free grain entitlements. This exclusion arises from the reliance on outdated population data from the 2011 Census, which continues to be used to determine beneficiaries.
The Supreme Court of India has repeatedly instructed the government to utilize projected population figures to rectify these discrepancies, but these directives have yet to be acted upon. Moreover, millions of workers in the unorganized sector who are registered on the eShram portal remain without ration cards, despite the court’s involvement in addressing this issue. On October 4, the Supreme Court issued a final warning to both central and state governments, insisting on compliance with its previous orders regarding the issuance of ration cards. The court stated that failure to comply would result in summons for relevant food department officials to explain their inaction. This situation underscores the pressing need to address administrative shortcomings to uphold every citizen’s right to food.
While the current food policy primarily emphasizes cereal distribution, this narrow focus neglects the nutritional needs of the population. Activists and organizations like the Right to Food Campaign have long advocated for the inclusion of pulses, edible oils, and millets in the PDS to promote balanced nutrition. The skyrocketing prices of essential items such as dal, cooking oil, vegetables, and fruits have made it increasingly difficult for families to maintain a healthy diet. The State of Food Insecurity (SoFI) 2024 report reveals that 55% of Indians cannot afford a nutritious diet. This highlights the crucial connection between food prices, affordability, and minimum wages. To ensure that people can purchase nutritious food, wages under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and other employment programs must be adjusted for inflation.
Children’s nutrition initiatives, such as the Mid-Day Meal (MDM) scheme and Anganwadi services, also require immediate attention. Currently, these programs are not indexed to inflation, and budget allocations for initiatives like POSHAN 2.0 and the Saksham Anganwadi schemes have declined in real terms. Although the 2023-2024 budget allocated 254.49 billion rupees – a 6% increase over the previous year – this amount remains insufficient to address rising food prices and ensure that nutritious meals reach children and women. The right to food transcends mere access to grains; it encompasses the right to nutritious, diverse, and affordable food for all.
On World Food Day, the Right to Food Campaign urges the government to take urgent measures to strengthen food security in India. Key demands include incorporating pulses, edible oils, and millets to provide a more balanced nutritional profile, enhancing funding for school meal programs and Anganwadi services, ensuring these programs account for inflation and provide nutritious foods such as eggs, milk, and fruits, guaranteeing that every eligible citizen, including those registered on the eShram portal and other vulnerable populations, can access ration cards and adjusting minimum wages based on the cost of a nutritious diet, making healthy food more accessible to all.
Food security is a fundamental right that goes beyond merely filling stomachs; it is about ensuring dignity and life for every individual. India must confront the harsh realities of hunger and rethink its food policies to address issues of inequality, affordability, and access. The right to food and nutrition should be central to governance. As we reflect on this occasion, we recognize that a future of food security and well-being is not merely a policy goal but a moral imperative one that requires immediate action to create a better life and a brighter future for all. The right to food is a fundamental human right, and as a nation, we must strive to ensure that no one is left behind in the journey toward a hunger-free India. Through improved data collection, focused strategies, and coordinated efforts, we can turn this vision into reality.
The writer is a tax specialist,
financial adviser, author, guest faculty and public speaker based in Goa.
He can be reached at
[email protected] or 9822983420
